Card-registration means for rotary duplicating machines



' CARD REGISTRATIQN MEANS FOR ROTARY DUPLICATIiWz MACHINES I E. J. 'BR ssEuR Filed Feb. 4, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR ATTORNEY May 7, 1929. E. J. BRASSEUR 1,712,247

CARD REGISTRATION MEANS FOR ROTARY DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed F813. 4, 192'? 5 sheebS -sheeh 2 INVENTOR 42A ATTORNEY y 7, 2 E. J. BRASSEUR 1,712,247 CARD REGISTRATION MEANS FOR ROTARY DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed Feb. 4, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ium.

'1 II ll x I 1 v-nig 50 5% 55," mvsmorv Patented May 7, 1929 UNITED STATES I p 1,712,247 PATENT OFFICE.

JERNJEST JT. BRASSEUR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO A B. DIGKCOMPANY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION'OF ILLINOIS;

CARD-REGISTRATIOIN MEANS FOR ROTARY DUPLICATING-MACHIN1EEt Application filedltebruary 4, 1927. Serial No. 165,786.

This invention relates to card registration means for rotary duplilcating machines, and more particularly to the delivery of the cards into position for engagement-by the printing couple, and. to the engagement of the cards by the, printing couple, whereby the cards are progressed through the ma chine and printed.

It has been customary heretofore to have the printing couple, comprising the rotating stencil drum and the coacting' impression roller, engage the work while the drum is rotating, and often while the work is moving into position therebetween. This has been satisfactory in a general way when sheets of paper are tobe printed, but when cards are supplied to the nachine thereis; apt to be some slippage between the cylinder and the card at the time of engagement, and

this slippage, which is not uniform for each card, throws the printing out of alignment on the card, and the qualityof the work suffers. Also heavier cards will strike the printing couple" sooner than thinner cars,

' due to the diiferencelin the tangential relations of the upper and lower surfaces of the cards to the peripheries of the stencildrunr and roller, and thus the print on cards of different thicknesses will be in correspondingly different positions on the cards. This alsorenders it difiicult, it not impossible, to secure the exact registration of the printing on cards of different thicknesses.

-The principal object of this invention is to provide a method of and means for engaging cards, or other work witlrthe pr nting couple, whereby exact accuracy of prlnting registration on the card is obtained; and another object ofthis invention is to provide means whereby exact printing regis trationhnay be obtained on cards of different thicknesses,

A further object of this invention is to provide mechanism of the character referred to, which is simple, eificient and positive in action, and is notapt to get out of adjustment, and yet may be adjustcdreadily and easily by the operator for cards of different lengths, and to align the cards accurately with the printing lines on the stencil.

- Other objects of this invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out here inafter.

in accordance with this invention, the mechanism is so arranged that the rotatable stencil drum is stopped in a certain definite position each revolution in printing direc-- tion. Other mechanism, synchronized with the rotation of the drum, is arranged to feed each card so'that the front edge of the card will be positioned at rest in a certain definite place between the drum and the impression roller wh'enithe cylinder is stopped, irrespective of the thickness of the card. A handle is arranged at the side of the duplicating machine, preferably'at the same side as the main crank, which the operator may manipulate readily and easily'to release a latch or cradle device, which results in the impression roller sn'a ping'upward to engage the card between it" and the printing cylinder while neither the .cardnor thecylinderis in motion. In this way, each card, irrespective of its thickness, is engaged with exactly the same relativity with respect to the cylinder and thestencil"sheetthereon, and there is no tendency of the registration to be spoiled or varied due to slippage between the cylinder and the card at theftime of engagement, or due to the thickness ofthe card affecting its position relative to the cylinderwhen it is engaged bythe-printing couple. The mechanism is so arranged that when the operator carries the movement of the handle further, the cylinder will be released, so that it can be rotated by the main crank handle to print the card which has been engaged in the printing couple, as aforesaid. Preferably, this additional movement of the roller releasinghandle also resets the latch or cradle,

so that the roller will be relocked, in .depressed position until-the next card has been advanced into engaging position and the releasing handle operatedagain to eifect the engagement of this next card in the printing couple.

The mechanism which advances the card into position to-be engaged by. the printing couple is preferably adjustable, so that cards of various lengths may be avanced to exactly the same stationary position for em gagemcnt by the printing couple. i

Means are also provided for adjusting the cards horizontally with respect to the axis of the printing cylinder, so that the cards.

may be aligned exactly with the print on the stencil. In this way, there is avoided the necessity of adjustingthe stencil sheeton the cylinder if it is found that thepr-int ing linesthereon do not print exactly parallel with the horizontal component of the card.

In order that a clearer understanding of this invention may be had, attention is herethe cylinder approaching its position of stoppage. A card is shown in place vprior to its advance into position of engagement by the printing couple. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but shows in a diagrammatic manner the position of the parts after the roller has been released to effect the engagement'of the'card between'the printing couple and before the cylinder has been released for revolution to carry the card forward and print the same. Figs. 3 and 4 are .respectively front and side views of the detail of the connection between the feed table and the lever which moves the same. Fig. 5 is a top view of the machine with the stencil cylinder removed; and Fig. 6 is a diagramma-tical W relative positions which cards of different thicknesses would assume with respect to the printing cylinder if they were allowed. to strike a member of the printing couple before being engaged thereby.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the printing drum or cylinder which carries the stencil or other printing means. The drum is supported on a shaft 2, which is rotatably carried on. the side frames 8 and 4 of the machine. Below the drum is the rubber impression roller 5, rotatably carried on arms 6 pivotally secured to the frame and engaged by springs 7 which tend to pivot the arms 6 upwardly to press the impression roller against the drum, and engage the work therebetween. Levers 8 at opposite sides of the machine are secured to a rock shaft 9, and have their noses 10 above and in engagement with the ends of arms 6'ad jacent the roller 5. A lever 11, fixed to shaft 9, carries a roller 12 positioned "to be depressed by the usual cam '13 on the cylinder. v The tail 14 of lever 11 coacts with a pivoted stop device, commonly calledv the roll stop shaft cradle, and designated generally at 15, which normally is held. by

spring 16 in position beneath the tail 14 of lever 11 to prevent the rockingof the tail 1.4 downwardly, and thus to hold the roller 5 depressed. Means are provided for withillustration of the different drawing the latch device 15 from beneath lever 11, and at the same time for holding the cylinder stationary in a certain predetermined position, so that the card 17 to be printed is engaged by the printing couple while there is no relative movement between the card and the printing cylinder. Thus, the same exact relative position of each on rd fed to the print on the cylinder is obtained, irrespective of the thickness of the card. The cylinder and roller are apart as the card moves into position to be engaged by this couple.

By maintaining the cylinder stationary at the times stated, there can be no slippage between the card and cylinder at the time the card is engaged between the printing couple for the subsequent forward delivery and printing.

For stopping and holding the cylinder stationary while the card is engaged by the printing couple, the cylinder is provided with a pin 20, fixed ata definite location thereon, which, at av certain position of the cylinder, strikes against and is caught by the hooked end 21 of a-lever 22, which is fixed on a rock shaft 23, journaled in the side brackets of the machine. A gear 24 secured to shaft 23 meshes with a gear 25 loose on a shaft-26. Shaft 26 carries a pin 27, which seats in cut out notches 28 in the hub of gear 25, so that shaft 26 may be rotated a certain distance without the pin 27 causing rotationof gear 25. A rock lever 30, pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 31, has one arm 32 adapted to engage and rock cradle 15, and has another arm 33 positioned to be engaged by a pin 34 on an arm which is secured to shaft 26. Shaft 26 may be rotated by means of a lever or handle 36 secured to a protruding end thereof at the side of the machine where the main crank handle is disposed.

In operation, the operator first brings the pm 20 into engagement with lever 22 and thereby places the cylinder in a definite stationary position. He then depresses handle 36, thus rotating shaft 26 to swing arm 35, which, through the intervention of rock lever 30, withdraws thc'cradlc 15 from beneath the tail of lever 11 and thus releases the impression roller. Meanwhile, due to the movement of pin 27 in the notches 28 of gear 25, this .gear has not rotated and the cylinder has not been released for movement. Thus the card may be moved freely into position between the roller 5 and cylinder 1 while apart, and thereafter the roller is released to engage the card in the printing couple while the cylinder and card are stationary. After this, however, since the pin 27 now engages the sides of notches 28 of gear 25, further depression of the handle 36 causes rotation. of gears 25 and 24 and withdraws lever 22 from pin 20, thus per-- mitting rotation of the cylinder by means of the main crank 38. Spring 16 autoinatically returns both the cradle and the roller and cylinder releasing mechanism to normal position, so that the handle 36 must be depressed each time a card is to be engaged and printed.- ,i. Since the cylinder is in exactly the same position each time a .card is engaged between it and the rubber roller, and the cylinder and card are stationary during the engagement' period, the printing on'each card will be in exactly'the same location, irrespective of the thickness of the card, provided only that the cards be fed to exactly,- the-same place for engagement by the print ing couple.

When the cards coming into engagement with the printing couple strikeone of these members, the registration of the "printing thereon will vary in accordance with the thickness of the card. As an example, reference is made to the diagrammatical showing in Fig. 6, from which it will ,be seen that a thinner card A will enter a fur 'ther distance between. the stencil cylinder C and the impression roller R before it'is engaged by this ,couple thanwill a thicker card B. Accordingly, the leading line of print, positioned, say, at P on the cylinder, will be impresseda further distance from C the leading edge of the thinner card A than from the leading edge oflthe thicker card B. Thus, when. cards of various thicknesses are used, the registration of'the printing on the cards will not be accurate, and bothersome and time-consuming adjustment must be made to the stencil on the-cylinder tosecure the registration. desiredr It is j obvious from theforegoing that ap'phcants mechanism eliminates allof the objectionable features of an arrangement of the character diagrammatically shown in Fig. 6.

Applicants invention also incorporates novel and improved means for delivering the cards to be printed, singly and successively, to exactly the same position. for engagement by the printing couple andprinting thereby,

irrespective of variations in the thickness of' tration of the printing on cards of variable thicknesses may be obtained, not only with respect to the forward edge of the card, but also with respect to its sideedges and also as to horizontal alignment thereon.v

In. this connection, a suitable stationary plate or platform is supported on the frame of the machine. This plate extends well forward toward the printing couple. The forward feed of the cards into position for engagement by the printing couple is accomplishedv by means of a reciprocating table51 mounted above platform 50. This table is supported on the upper ends of lev-- ere-52 fixed to a rock shaft, 53, so that table,

51 is reciprocated as the rock shaft is retated, for instance, by means, of a link 54:

connecting a lever 55 on shaft 53 to a lever 56, which is adapted to be rocked by a cam 57' rotating in synchronism with the stencil grooved side plates 63 and 64; on plate 61,

so as to be adjustable thereon by means of a screw 65, which engages anear 66 on lower plate 61 and is,.threaded into a'member 67 riveted to upper plate'62. By turning screw 65, plate 62 may be adjusted relatively to plate 61 and levers 52sosas tovary the position of the print on the forward edge of the card, and also to adjust .the feed mechanism in accordance with cards of various lengths, so that the moment and POSllZlOIlxOf engagement of each card by the printing couple will be'always exactly the same.

Over plate 62 is "a plate 68, which has an under-cut flange 69 disposed across I the front, edge of table 51. Plate 68 is, pivoted on a pin 70 carriedron plate 62, and at its other side has a projection 71 provided with a slot 72, which is penetrated by a set screw 73 engaging plate 62. The front edge 69 of plate 68 may be adjusted into exact par-" allel alignment with the lines of print on the stencil'sheet positioned on the stencil drum.

Thus, when the rear edge of a card is placed closely' against edge 69, the card will be aligned horizontally in parallel relation to the lines of print on the stencil. The recessed front edge 69 tends to hold the card fiat as it is advanced to and engaged by the printing couple.

The table connection with levers 52 includes tabs 74 on plate 61', having pins 75 which rest in'the notched upper ends of levers 52, and plates 76 are secured to levers 52 and press against tabs 74 to prevent disengagement of the pins 75 from the levers 52 edge of table51, maintains the front 'edge (if this table in contact wtih the platform 50, since table "51 is elevated at the back edge when the lever 52 oscillates, due to A spring 77, connected with the front the lever 52 being directly connected with the table 51.

Means are provided for adjusting the cards laterally with respect to platform 50 and table 51. These means include a gauge plate 80, which is carried on the end of a screw 81, the screw extending through to pins 82 and 83 fixed to plate 62, and confining between them a knurled nut 84, which is in threaded engagement with screw 81. By turning knurled nut 84 in one direction or the other, the gauge 80 may be moved either right or left, and thus may be located to register. the cards in a sidewise direction properly with the sidew'ise disposition of the print on the stencil.

' pressing downwardly on table .A plurality of spring fingers 85 are supported on a bracket 86 positioned on table 50. These fingers extend well toward the printing couple, and have'curved outer ends 50, whereby the cards are restrained against'the front edge of reciprocating table 51, and the cards are held flat, so that they will not rub on the stencil as the cylinder and stencil rotate over the cards.

Of course, the mechanism just described for feeding the cards into the adjusted definite stationary position between the printing couple for engagement thereby is synchronized with the other operating parts of the machine, including, obviously, the stencil cylinder. The operator places the card to be fedwith its rear edge close against the gauge 69'and in the recess thereof. The

main crank handle of the machine is then turned to revolve the cylinder in printing direction, which is accompanied by rotation of cam 57. The rotation of this cam during-the' turning of the cylinder to the point where further rotation of the cylinder is prevented by the pin 20 thereon engaging the lever 52 causes lever 52 to move the table 51 forwardly to advance the card into the exact predetermined stationary position desired between the printing couple. The handle 36 is so positioned with respect to the main crank that, while the operators hand still remains on the main crank handle,

he can reach the handle 36 with his thumb and depress the same, first, to release the impression. roller to press upwardly against the card and cylinder while the card and cylinder are heldstationary, and then, on further depressing handle 36, to release the cylinder for rotation and accomplish the delivery and printing of the card thereby. At the point where the cylinder is released from the detent for rotation the contour of cam '57 is silent, or "a true curve, and will hold the card at a standstill in the exact printing position desired, so that no movement of the table 51 transpires to vary the position of the card with respect to the cylinder during or after its engagement by the printing couple. The line of print on the cylinder should be set over the card in an equally exact position.

If it is desired to bring the print further from or nearer to the leading edge of the card, a corresponding adjustment is made of plate 62 on table 51. by means of screw (35. If the sidewise location of the printing on the card is desired to be changed, the gauge 80 is adjusted accordingly by 11121118 of nut 84. If the lines of print on the card are not exactly parallel with the l-ading edge of the card, )late (58 is pivotally adjusted on plate 62 of table 5i by means of set screw 73.

Itwill be apparent from the above that with a machine having mechanism of the type described above hair line registration of print may be obtained on cards of variable thickness. .The invention, however, is not restricted to the precise construction which has been described above for the purpose only of illustrating the invention, and accordingly, as'many changes could be made in the above construction and various different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is understood that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and 'not in a limiting sense.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a printing couple, means for holding the members of the printing couple separated, means for. positioning a card between thc'printing couple, and means for bringing the printing couple together to engage the card after the card has been positioned therebetween.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a printing con )10, means for holding the members of the printing couple separated, means for actuating the printing couple, mechanism synchronized with said actuating means for delivering a card to a certain predetermined position between thcseparated printing couple, and means for bringing the printing couple together to engage the card while the card is stationary in said position.

4:. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a rotatable printing cylmder, a eoacting impression roller, means for rotating the cylinder, means for'stopping and holding the cylinder in a definite predetermined position, means for holding the impression roller separated from the cylin der when in said position, and means controlled by the operatorfor releasing the roller to press against the cylinder while in said position to engage work therebetween.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a rotatable printing cylinder,

a coasting impression roller, means for rotating the cylinder,.means for stopping andholding the cylinder in a definite predetermined position, means for holding the impression roller separated from the cylinder when in said position, means controlled by the operator for releasing the roller to press against the cylinder while in i the impression roller separated from the cylinder When in said position, means con-' trolled by the operator for releasing the roller to press against the cylinder while. in

said position to engage work therebetween,.

and means under the control of the operator for subsequently releasing the cylinder for rotation to deliver and print work engaged by the printing couple, said means including a handle and mechanism connectmg the handle with the impression roller and cylinder wherebywhen said handle is moved in a certain direction the impression roller is first released and subsequently the cylinder is released.

7. In an apparatus of the character dcscribed, in combination, a rotatable printing cylinder, a coacting impression roller, means 'for rotating the cylinder, means for stopping and holding the cylinder in a defiiiite predetermined position, means for holding the impression roller separated from the cylinder when in said position, means controlled by the operator for releasing the roller to press against the cylinder while in said position to engage work' therebetween,

and means under the control of the operator for subsequently releasing the cylinder for rotation to deliver and print work engaged by the printing couple, said means including a handle and mechanism connecting the handle with the impression rollerand cylinder whereby when said handle is moved in a certain direction the impression roller is first released and subsequently the cylinder is re leased, feed mechanism synchronized with the rotation of the cylinder whereby cards are placed in a definite predetermined stationary position between the cylinderand roller while separated, the roller moving to engage each card between .it and the cylinder while each card and the cylinder are stationary.

scribed, in combination, a rotatable stencil cylinder, detent means for stopping rotation of the cylinder in a definite position on each revo ution thereof, an impression roller coacting with the cylinder, mechanism operating to placeand hold the roller separated from'the cylinder whenever the cylinder is stopped in said position, and means under the control'of the operator whereby the roller may be released to press against the cylinderwhile the cylinder is held stationary by said detent means.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a rotatable stencil cylinder,'detent means for stopping rotation of the cylinder in a definite position on each revolution thereof, an impression roller coacting with the cylinder, mechanism operating toplace and hold the roller separated from the cylinder whenever the cylinder is stopped in saidposition, and means under the control of the operator whereby the roller may be released to press against the cylinder while the cylinder is held stationary by said detent means,and wherebythe cylinder detent means may be released by the operator to permit rotation of the cylinder subsequent to the release of the roller,

10. In combination with a, printing couple comprising a rotary printing cylinder and a coacting impression roller, latch mechanism for holding the roller separated from the cylinder,-a handle connected with said latch mechanism whereby the operator may operate the latch mechanism to release the impresslon roller, and means normally acting to press the roller against the cylinder,

said'latch mechanism including a rockshaft, arms on the shaft connected with the roller to depress the same, a stop lever on said shaft, and a roll stop shaft cradle engaging said stop lever to prevent rocking of said,

rock shaft and movement of said arms in a 8. In an apparatus of the character dedirection permittingthe roller to rise against the cylinder.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a rotatable printing cylinder having a stop, pin thereon, a pivoted detent lever adapted to be engaged by saidpin to stop rotation of the cylinder in a predetermined position, a pivotally mount-- ed impression roller coacting with the cylinder, means including a latch device for maintaining the roller depressed from the cylinder, a rotatable shaft, and connections between said shaft and said detent mechanism. and latch device whereby upon rotation of said shaft in a predetermined direc tion first the latch device is retracted .to release the roller to engage work positioned between it and the cylinder, and subsequently the detent lever is withdrawn from the cylinder stop pin to permit rotation of the cylinder.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, in combination, a rotatableprinting quently the detent lever is wit cylinder having a stop pin thereon, a ivoted detent lever adapted to be engage by said pin to stop rotation of the cylinder in a predetermined position, a pivotally mountedimpression roller coacting with the cylinder, means including a latch device for maintaining the rollerdepressed from the cylinder, a rotatable shaft, and connections between said shaft and said detent mechanism and latch device whereby upon rotation of said shaft in 'a predetermined direction first the latch device is retracted to release the roller to engage work, positioned between it and the cylinder and subsehdrawn from the cylinder stop pin to permit rotation of the cylinder, said connections including a gear loose on said shaft meshing with a gear connected to the cylinder detent lever, said loose gear having a notched hub, a pin secured to the shaft and disposed in the notches of said gear hub, and a train oflcvers connecting said shaft with said latch. 18. In an apparatus of the character described in combination, card feed mechanism including a card feeding table, an oscillating lever secured to the table to reciprocate the same horizontally, a rotatable cam coning the operation of the card feed mechanism with the operation of the printing'mechanism, said car feed mechanism including a card feeding table, an oscillating lever sccured to the table to'reciprocate'the same horizontally, and arot-atable cam' connected with said lever whereby the lever is oscillated in accordance with the rotation of the cam. l

This specification signed this 31st day of January, 1927,

- ERNEST J. BRASSEUR. 

